1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to brackets for supporting articles with respect to a wall. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bracket for supporting step ladders in a stable manner with respect to a wall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Step ladders utilize a two sided structure, wherein typically one of the sides (the stepped side) carries a number of steps and the other side (the brace side) serves as bracing for the stepped side. In the case of metallic construction (usually aluminum) step ladders, the stepped side is non-pivotally connected, such as by riveting, to a perimeter lip of a top step. The brace side is pivotally connected to the perimeter lip of the top step, again such as by riveting. In operation, the step ladder is stored in a collapsed configuration wherein the brace side is pivoted against the stepped side, and, when the step ladder is to be used, the brace side is pivoted away from the stepped side, thereby forming an A-shaped configuration.
Step ladders while extremely useful, can be a little problematic when it comes time to store them. To lean a step ladder against a wall when in the collapsed configuration requires it to be leaned at an acute angle with the wall, wherein the top step rests against the wall and the foot of each of the stepped and brace sides are spaced away from the wall. This storage placement takes up too much floor space and invites the step ladder being inadvertently knocked over as things are moved about the floor.
The perimeter lip provides a natural location for hookingly engaging the step ladder to an upturned hook so as to dependingly support it therefrom. Therefore, someone may try to hang a step ladder, when in its storage configuration, off of a hook anchored into a wall. Yet, this is very unsuitable because unless by accident this person hung the step ladder right at a bisection passing through the center of gravity of the step ladder, the step ladder will untowardly list and, in any event, will be subject to precarious holding on the hook.
Even if someone were to use two mutually spaced apart hooks, the hooks would need to be installed individually and yet be horizontally even with each other and not be spaced too close together (as to create ladder support instability) or too far apart (as to prevent both hocks from simultaneously engaging the perimeter lip). In the case of two spaced apart hooks, it may be difficult to simultaneously engage both hooks to achieve a stable holding of the ladder against the wall, since the ladder itself may impair viewing of the hooks when hanging is attempted.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is a bracket specifically adapted for the stable hanging of step ladders on a wall.